Do you *really* think the Cold War is over?
 

First, read this:

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) said Wednesday that Russia is developing a new form of nuclear missile unlike those held by other countries, news agencies reported.

Speaking at a meeting of the Armed Forces' leadership, Putin reportedly said that Russia is researching and successfully testing new nuclear missile systems.


"I am sure that ... they will be put in service within the next few years and, what is more, they will be developments of the kind that other nuclear powers do not and will not have," Putin was quoted as saying by the ITAR-Tass news agency.


Putin reportedly said: "International terrorism is one of the major threats for Russia. We understand as soon as we ignore such components of our defense as a nuclear and missile shield, other threats may occur."


No details were immediately available, but Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier this month that Russia expected to test-fire a mobile version of its Topol-M ballistic missile this year and that production of the new weapon could be commissioned in 2005.


News reports have also said Russia is believed to be developing a next-generation heavy nuclear missile that could carry up to 10 nuclear warheads weighing a total of 4.4 tons, compared with the Topol-M's 1.32-ton combat payload.


Topol-Ms have been deployed in silos since 1998. The missiles have a range of about 6,000 miles and reportedly can maneuver in ways that are difficult to detect.


Earlier this year, a senior Defense Ministry official was quoted as telling news agencies that Russia had developed a weapon that could make the United States' proposed missile-defense system useless. Details were not given, but military analysts said the claimed new weapon could be a hypersonic cruise missile or maneuverable ballistic missile warheads.

Second:

Think about it from a strategic point of view... poor Russia, they have no money, the subs are rusting, boo-hoo... they are not a threat anymore. OR is that really true? Think about it. Isn't it possible that we let our guard down with the "terror war"?

I don't really know... but thought it would make for a good OT post.

Just a thought.

Pete

Now THAT's re-assuring :rolleyes:

I don't trust the ruskies and I wouldn't if i were any of you either...

PUTIN was Ex-KGB, supposedly.......I don't think EX should have been used, he's still KGB to the core.

No the cold war wasn't completely over, its more like a lukewarm war now however.

Of course all the dissillusioned peaceniks who want us to totally disarm would leave us vulnerable to the Chinese, the Russians and everyone else with a nuke.

Mr. Putin was the director of the KGB before it was reinvented as a *security agency* :uhoh:
Comrade, you are now a certified security agent, now you can kill with the blessing of the FRR(Federation of Russian Republics, is that what we call them this week?) and we will not deny any knowledge of you, but will merely say you where *acting alone*, personally, I still prefer calling them the FSU(Former Soviet Union) :rolleyes5
All things considered, the statement about the missile is just a *hard sell* to his own military, where will the money for R&D come from? They have problems meeting the military payroll. We have ex-FSU military guys looking for work around here as training staff or mercernaries, you pay US$ up front and chose the target, they provide the fireworks. I am not joking about this, the INTERPOL has it's hands full with investigations involving ex-Soviet military personnel :shocked2:

I think the rest of the world is about to re-arm because of OUR belligerent activities. Our pre-emptive invasion may have caught the attention of many who wish not to be pre-empted. The Russians and the Europeans, after four years of estrangement under Bush, have figured out they really don't need us anymore. The French, the Germans and the Russians are about to form their own alliance. The price we have paid for our "go it alone" policy is the rest of the world is about to let us do just that.

You are right. Even Malaysia is nervous about the US pre-emptive strike policy, so military equipment is being sourced from other countries.
Aircraft=Russia
Navy=British, Italian and German and of course, EXOCETs from France :D
Army=South Africe and recently Poland
US= :hanged:

Well son of a *****. Looks like I'd better move to one of the poles.... :eek:

Kirk, you may want to be the unarmed guy at the gunfight, but thank god most of us don't.

A little lesson in world politics is a lot like High school. You have bullies, and they like to threaten others....And if you want to be the timid pascifist that hands over his lunch money to the bullies everyday and still gets his butt kicked because he is afraid to stand up for himself, do so......

Luckily that mindset is limited the the BLUE area of the map. If it wasn't for the RED people on the map and people like them, We would not be the USA and today you would be speaking either Japanses OR German .

We have the right and the need to be properly armed to defend our freedom.

I'm not too sure I can buy the whole, "We are a poor nation and can't pay our bills" routine that comes out of the USSR (They will always bee the USSR to me. -- that's just me) I think they can, do, and will pay for such a program.

I don't doubt what you're saying, but I think the $$ *IS* there for these projects.

Pete

This is a joke right? With all due respect. Take a look at the map of WHERE the people come from that are fighting the "war" on terror. Honestly, I can't believe you really believe a comment like that. (Google it, don't ask.)

Just IMHO,

Pete

Weird. You’d think they’d be developing lifting vehicles to compete on satellite launches not threats.

Yes most of these people are from the Red states, Liberal democrats are the definate minority in the armed services. Thats what my intent was.

"Luckily that mindset is limited the the BLUE area of the map. If it wasn't for the RED people on the map and people like them, We would not be the USA and today you would be speaking either Japanses OR German . "

This argument is wrong in so many ways I don't know where to start. Well, how about...FDR was a 'Blue' person.

As an aside, the Russians did more to defeat the Germans than the U.S. Reductionist history is for those who don't truly understand the past, and therefore, struggle, and ultimately fail, when relating it to the present.

You are trying to state revisionist history.......

Russia definately shortend the war by saping German resources......but We would still have won even without them. It just would have taken longer and cost more American lives.